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ACTIVE support has to be saved, because when the atmosphere at A-League games is at its best, it can differentiate the rest of the competition from other Australian sports.

That’s the view of Fox Sports football host Adam Peacock, who has issued a call for communication to get all parties on the same page in the hope of resolving one of Australian football’s most important issues.

In a week where an RBB leader copped a year-long ban for offensive chants and the FFA targeted plans to equip fans with legal flares, Peacock, speaking on A-League Hour, encouraged all sides to put their differences aside to discuss the best way forward for the game and its unique active support groups.

“Whatever your sporting poison, there is of course a huge range to choose from in Australia. One factor that can set the A-League apart from the rest, is the atmosphere at games – sadly, though, it is in trouble, with active areas, the epicentre of colour and noise, not getting bigger.

“Why? Well there’s a huge disconnect between these fans and those who run the game.

“The FFA and those who oversee those active areas on match days - police and security - and ridiculous situations follow. Like the Newcastle fan denied entry, eventually overturned, for wearing a balloon on his head at Suncorp. Or at the same ground, a Wellington fan evicted for taking off a shirt, there’s millions of those type of stories.

“Now we know all about certain members of the RBB, they are one step away from an outcome that no one wants. All because a few light flares, and hold anti-police banners and sing chants which in turn only makes the police want to jump at any perceived step out of line. That in turn, makes it harder next time, that in turn leads to generalisations that all active fans are trouble.

Camera IconMembers of the Wanderers supporting group Red and Black Bloc (RBB)Picture: AAP

“Never mind the fact, generalisation is an art form perfected only by the idiot. All active fans are idiots, well no very very very few are, and all police and security are not bastards, but how does this cycle of distrust get broken?

“Communication. Until leadership, proper sensible leadership from all sides start to communicate, this will go on and hold everything back when it comes to the A-League.”

Fellow panellist Mark Bosnich echoed the host’s thoughts, pointing to the need for another forum in order to rectify this issue.

“Three years ago we had that meeting with the active fans around the country… and there was genuine communication between the FFA and the fans and I thought we genuinely achieved something that night,” Bosnich said.

“Unfortunately since then, we’ve seen things deteriorate. A lot of it’s to do with some of the things that were discussed that night, we’ve heard one side of the story that the fans are being stonewalled in their attempts to have the appeals process be fair and transparent.”

Camera IconSydney FC fans in The CovePicture: Getty Images

“But I think what needs to happen is exactly what you said at the end, is communication. They need to sit back down with the fans, and all the stake holders of the game and basically come to some kind of agreement, because there is never ever a bad peace or there is never ever a good war.”

Former Socceroo Ned Zelic also backed calls for a kick-start to relations, while stressing the need for the unique identity of Australian football to be preserved.

“It really does need a reset, but is it realistic to sit down and say let’s forget what happened and start new? The thing is, it really has been a mix of over-policing, obviously some trouble makers stepping out of line.

“But also a case of, I feel officials are trying to mould fans into something they’re not. Football is different to other sports here, and that’s something that officials really do need to identify.”